Funding Your Care - Self-Funders

You are classed as a self-funder if:

• You have chosen to contract directly with a care home or care agency without any involvement from West Berkshire Council, and you pay the full cost of your care
   
• Your care needs have been assessed, but you are not currently eligible for adult social care services
   
• If you self-fund privately with a care provider and your capital (excluding the value of your home) is approaching the upper capital threshold, currently £23,250
   
• In this circumstance, you will need to contact the Council to request a Care and Support Needs Assessment to see if you are eligible for funding assistance. We suggest that you contact us three months before your capital reaches the upper capital threshold to allow time for these assessments to be completed. You can contact Adult Social Care on 01635 503050

Self-Funding in a Care Home

If you are self-funding in a care home, we will carry out a needs assessment with you to see if your needs are best met in a care home.

If we think they are, discussions will take place with your care home to see if they can accept the price the Council is prepared to pay to meet your relevant level of need.

If we do not think your needs are best met in a care home, and your preference is to remain in the care home, you may be able to stay in the home if there is a relative, friend or charity willing to pay the extra cost (this is referred to as a Third Party Top Up). You can find further information in our  Care Home Top Up Payments leaflet [172KB] .

If neither of these options are available, we may arrange for you to move to an alternative care home.
 

Financial Assessment

As well as a needs assessment, the Council will undertake a financial assessment to calculate the date your capital will reduce below the upper capital threshold, if it has not already done so. We call this a Capital Depleter assessment.

The assessment will also determine the amount you will be asked to contribute towards your care, if you are eligible for funding assistance.

Once it has been agreed that you are eligible for assistance towards the funding of your care, West Berkshire Council will pick up the funding from either the date that you contacted us (assuming it has been verified that your capital was below the threshold at this point), or from the date that your capital was below the threshold (if this was after the date you contacted us).

If you have eligible care needs, you can ask the Council to arrange your care, even if your capital is above the £23,500 threshold. In this case you will be classed as a full cost client and will be charged the full cost of your care. You may also be charged an admin fee.
 

Deferred Payment Scheme

If you are self-funding in a care home and own your property, you may be eligible to apply for the deferred payment scheme when your available capital reaches the upper capital threshold.

The Deferred Payments Guidance Notes [539KB]  provides further information about the scheme.
 

Further Information

You can find further financial information for self-funders on The Society of Later Life Advisers website, or the Money Helper website.

If you find that your circumstances have changed, and you think that you need financial support to help pay for your care, please get in touch with our Adult Social Care team.